Don't even get me started on the main board. I do post there but in very limited fashion. I get very frustrated at some of the questions let alone some of the answers. I'll refrain from giving examples. Kathy

B. coffee , cheese stick, tablespoon peanut btr w/jelly L. taco salad w/usual tom and lettuce plus peas,carrots,beans, + a spoonful of corn sm sl. chz cake w/ 1/2 c. soft serve ice cr. on top D. working on a plan cuz got home so late after lunch with girls vits. water 60 os so far hope to get in 100 oz. No physical exercise Mucho mental exercise Mary

Hello All, Thanks Aliya, Tracy, Candy and Laurie , ( and anybody else who has chimed in since I began to compose this ) for your sincerity and honest responses. I just got back from lunch with the girls and we ate at a buffet. Made a taco and turned it into a taco salad with the usual ...plus broccoli and peas, carrots and beans ...turned out to be really good. Who'da thunk peas in a taco salad??? But yummm. Went back for a small piece of chz cake and 1/2 C soft serve Ice cream. Couldn't fini**** ( and don't like that crumb crust anyhow ). I did try that 'waterloading trick' prior to going and it DID seem to work pretty well. Can't quote it perfectly but think it goes : drink as much as you can over 15 min. or so prior to a meal , which is said to trick the pouch and curb hunger. ( Someone else may be able to much more accurately describe it. ) Looks like boredom is a real trigger for us all. They say ya can't heal what ya don't/won't feel so allowing ourselves to become conscious of triggers is a huge step towards conscious choices to do something about them. I am looking at some craft projects I want to do: Example, a mosiac tabletop. I have bought some of the tile and am mentally creating my design. Also I am creating a little haven in my cottage garden so there will be a quiet place to sit and think and read and meditate, surrounded by roses and perennials . Instead of grass I planted creeping thyme, which can be walked on without damaging it and it releases a fragrant aroma as stepped on. ( the baby seedlings are popping up all over and I feel like the proud Mama !!!) Also I have an old birdhouse which I have planned to replace a missing rooftile and paint over all. I am thinking if I have projects which can be planned for evening time , which for me is my biggest grazing temptation, it may help to keep my mind and hands busy. While creating beauty I feel so close to the person I was created to be. I don't know if I will follow thru but maybe we can help challenge each other to press on and DO something other than EAT. It seems that as we bat these ideas around with each other ...maybe we will come up with { what 'works' for US.} I bought the baked chee-tos last week and they did a number on me with my blood sugar. I have been recording what I eat and how it makes me feel because of the hypoglycemia and have found that having those cheese sticks on hand ( not chee-tos ) and alot of fresh fruit has helped me a great deal feel better - plus the tried and true { protein drink } remedy, which I'll admit I was becoming resistant to. I really appreciate all of you Maysters and believe ( to borrow a phrase from OA ) "Together we can do what we could never do alone. I believe that with all my heart. Mary

Sending lots of love your way Michelle! I hope they can nail down whats wrong and get it taken care of swiftly. I wish you lots of luck and Ill be thinking of you. Hang tough girl! Candy

Hey Mary, Since I quit my job earlier this year to stay home with my son I have way too much time on my hands and eating out of boredom is very much a struggle for me. What I found to help me is to only buy just what I have to have when I need it. I shop at the grocery store on a daily basis and only get enough to do me till the next day. So if I get the urge to graze theres nothing here except what I planned and got at the grocery store that day. If I find something to occupy me I usually forget about eating. Before surgery I battled binge eating and still fight it now especially when Im angry or something is bothering me. I guess this is the shoveling behavior you mentioned. Im quite more comfortable eating like I should but ofcourse sometimes I dont take time to realize that before its too late. I was attending a monthly support group, but have found it to be a waste of gas. There are only a handful of people that go and I havent found anything to be beneficial enough to continue to go. I do wish there was one that was and wasnt too far away. I do believe that this will always be what it is... a fight... a struggle... but I am grateful for my tool and find myself very fortunate. I know as long as us Maysters stick together we can do this. Yes Im definately in for the long haul!! Candy